Etching apparatus.



A. HOLMSTR GM.

ETGHING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED O0'l'.15, 1909. 979,07 1 Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

' 'AXEL nonms'rnom, or GEFLE; swnnnn;

ETCHING APPARATUS.

' saeemeauon of Letters Patent.

7 Application flleii October 15, 1909.- Serial No." 522,846.

To all whom it may concern:.

Be it known that I, -AXEL Honms'rnoir,

painter, a subject of the Swedish King, re-

siding at Brunnsgatan' 78, Gefle, Sweden,

have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Etching Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention pertains to im rovem'ents in etching apparatus, and the ob ects ofthe invention are to provide a device of this character in which under-etching will be guarded against and the etching operation carried out with great effectiveness and speed, and further to effect an intimatemixture of air and the etching liquid prior to the latter contacting with the object being etched.

In order that the stream of acid may be as finely divided as possible before coming on to the plate to be etched and be kept long enough in the air, it is not directly but indirectly brou ht into contact withthe object to be etched by meansof suitable secondary spraying devices. For this purpose, in addition to the usual primary spraying devices which dip into the etching fluid one or more secondary spraying devices are arranged,

which are seated entirely outside the etching fluid and are fed by the primary spraying devices and in turn throw the etching fluid t us finely divided so received and mixed with air against the surfaces to be etched. In connection therewith the bodies to be .etched are arranged in relation to the spraying devices so that on the one hand they are completelysecured against any direct contact therewith and on the other hand assumes at thesame time either automatically or in consequence of a certain position once given to them, such a position in relation to the acid sprayers that the surface to be etched is placed in the most favorable position for the etching operation. If necessary a reciprocating motion may be imparted in the known manner to the object to be etched.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of one form of theinvention, Fig. 2 is a similar view of a modification, and Figs. 3, 4:, and 5 aresimilar views of still further modified forms of the invention. 7

In the receptacle a one .or more'primary spraying devices f of any suitable shape (cylinders, drums, scoops, etc.) are arranged which dip into the etching bath is. During their rotation these primary spraying defluid against which it is broken up, so that it vices car'ry alon a portion of the etching fluid andthrow it ing devices f" (Fig. 1 outside the etching bat cei've etching arranged entire y which in turn refluid and throw it in a finely against secondary spra I Patented Dec. 20, 1910.

divided state and well mixed with air- I against the plates b to be etched. The secondary spraying devices may be fixed or movably arranged. In Fi '1 they consist like the'primary spraying evices which dip into the-fluid, of rotary bodies.

I The plates 6 to be etched may be arranged in any desired number in the receptacle (1 so that they can be sprinkled uniformly from all sides. They rest on supports 0 and 0 which are arranged firmlyor detachably in the receptacle 0. or may be pushed in from outside in the manner of a slide. For fixing the upper plate 1) guides 0 are cut in the cover of the receptacle and bent downward and into these the plate is pushed for exialmpile from outside or they can be otherwise According to the arrangement shown in Figs. 2 and 3 the cover 9 of the receptacle (1 may be arranged at a suitablejangle, be bent 'or formed with facets and the object to be etched must then be so arran ed within the receptacle as not to be expose to the direct action of the rimar spraying devices. The etching flui in this form of the invention is first thrown at a great s eed against the bent or faceted cover, an is sprayed therefrom in a finely divided state and well mixed with air back on to the lates to be etched, which if necessary may he arranged to swing, as shown in Fig. 2, so that thereby the plate can' automatically adjust itself at all times. suitably to the varying force with which the fluid is sprayed and in this way the etching action be regulated or made uniform.

In the form'illustrated in Fig. 4, two rotary primary spraying devices f are arran ed which in rotating throw the etching against thecoverl of the receptacle comes in a finely divided state and in conse quence of the long path covered well mixed with air on to the bodies 3' to be etched arranged firmly directly over the etching fluid in the known manner or movably in guides h with the picture-side u ward.

If plastic bodies of cy indrical collar-like form are to be etched, they may, as shown etching in Fig. 1, beinserted between the etched can of course be as preferred and as suited to the particular case.

As will be seen from Fig. 5 a step we may be provided, on which the plates may be put. This ste 4 ma be provided with a groove n in w ich t e plates are placed by the edge. In addition to the spraying devices f f further spraying devices 0 may be arranged.

When the spraying device "0 is used, the

wheel f, rotating in the direction of thearrow (Fig. 5), throws a part of the liquid against the wall 0:,- whence it is thrown against the spraying device 0, which causes the li uid to again be thrown onto the Wheel f, hittm with greatforce the liquid thrown by whee f against plate I), so that an. inti mate mixing of the liquid and air takes place producing a uniform covering of the fluid on the plate.

7 What I claim is: v I 1. An a paratus for etching metal plates and the Ike, composed. of a receptacle adapted to contain an etching bath, a pri-' mary spraying device arrange in the receptacle to dip into the etching bath, and means arranged 1n juxtaposition to the rimary spraying device to intercept the etching fluid as it leaves the primary spraying device and to cause the fluid to become finely divided and to direct same to contact with the plates. 2. An apparatus for etching metal and 'similarplates, composed of a receptacle for containing an etching bath, a primaryspraying device to dip into the bath, means for supporting a plate in the receptacle, and means for intercepting the fluid as it leaves said primary spraying device to deflect same onto said-plate.

3. An apparatus forv etching metal and similar plates, composed of areceptacle for containing an etching bath, a primary spray- "ing device to dip into the bath, a grooved element in the receptacle to receive and support one end of the plate, and acover for the receptacle to intercept the fluid after it leavessaid device and to, direct said fluid onto the gplate.

4. gin apparatus for etching metal and similar plates, composed of a receptacle for containing anetching bath, a primary spraying. device to dip into the bath, a step in the receptacle to receive and support one end of the plate, a cover for the receptacle to intercept the fluid after it leaves said device and to direct the fluid onto the plate, and a further spraying device in the receptacle disposed between the primary spraying device and the cover.

In testimony whereof I afihi my signature 

